Photographing,developing and projecting apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS AND METHOD TO PHOTOGRAPH A LAYOUT OF PATTERNS ON A TABLE WHILE THE CAMERA TRAVERSES THE LENGTH THEREOF, DEVELOP THE EXPOSED FILM, AND THEN PROJECT THE PHOTOGRAPHED PICTURE OF THE LAYOUT ON A SENSITIZED SHEET COVERING THE TABLE DURING RETURN MOVEMENT OF THE CAMERA AND DEVELOPER TO INITIAL POSITION. THE EXPOSED SHEET MAY THEREAFTER BE PRINTED AND USED AS A GUIDE FOR CUTTING A LAY OF MATERIAL UPON WHICH A PRINT OF THE ABOVE PICTURE IS PLACED.

Jan. 5., 1971 A. c. GROSS PHOTOGRAPHING, DEVELOPING .AND PROJECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. '11. 1968 IHIIIIIllllllllllllllllllllll) INVENTOR. 4/?77/M? C 62055 Jan. 5, 1971 Q GROSS 3552,53

PHOTOGRAPHING, DEVELOPING AND PROJECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 11, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4277/1/17 C 6/9055 TOP/V15) United States Patent 3,552,851 PHOTOGRAPHING, DEVELOPING AND PROJECT- IN G APPARATUS AND METHOD Arthur C. Gross, 7545 Hampton Ave., Los Augeles, Calif. 90046 Filed Dec. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 782,885 Int. Cl. G03b 27/50 US. Cl. 355-27 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is adapted for many different applications for first photographing a layout of items of such large size as to require traverse of the camera to scan said layout and then projecting the photographed picture during return traverse of the same extent. More particularly, this apparatus is adapted to photograph a pattern layout and to produce therefrom a sheet picturing the layout of the same size as the original photograph, thereby providing a record of the layout and allowing for removal of the layout and replacement of another layout of patterns therefor. Such a picture of the initial layout of patterns may be used as an accurate guide for the cutting of a plurality of lengths of fabric on a cutting table.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the character referred to that greatly shortens the time for cutting the outlines of a pattern layout and further provides for accuracy and economy of pattern production and cutting operations.

This invention also has for its objects to provide a novel, economical and convenient method or process of superior utility, and to provide apparatus that is positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also contemplates novel combinations of method steps as well as novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will appear more fully in the course of the following description, which is based on the accompanying drawings. However, said drawings merely show, and the following description merely describes the invention with respect to, a preferred method and apparatus, the same, nevertheless, being given by way of illustration or example only.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present apparatus for photographing, developing and projecting a layout of items comprises, generally, a table 10, a longitudinal rail 11 extending from end to end of said table and spaced above the top thereof, a prime mover 12 preferably located beneath the table but which may have any other advantageous location, a carriage 13 mounted on said rail for movement therealong, drive means 14 including clutch means 15 for moving said carriage back and forth along the rail 11, a combined assembly 16 carried by said carriage 13 and comprising a camera unit 17, a film-developing unit 18 and a picture-projection unit 19, means 20 on the carriage and a 3,552,851 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 stud 21 on the assembly 16 by which the latter is shiftable relative to the former at each end of said traverse movement so that, at the end of traverse in either direc' tion during photographing a layout 22 and then projecting the picture thereof upon a sensitized sheet 23 placed upon the table top, the camera unit 17 and the projection unit 19 shift their positions so the unit 19 starts its movement back to the initial position of the carriage from the terminal position of the camera unit, after its photographing traverse, and said units 17 and 19 re-shift their positions at the end of the projecting traverse so the camera unit is in initial position preparatory to another photographing traverse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a broken side elevational view of apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a broken top plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an end view as seen from the right of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a similarly enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged semi-schematic view, partly in section, of the carriage and combined assembly mounted thereon.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical components of the mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The table 10 has an elongated top 25 which may be of typical cutter table design and size. However designed, the same is flat and adapted to hold a display of items to provide the layout 22. It is advantageous to support said top 25 above the floor by legs 26 to provide space for housing the prime mover 12 and associated portions of the drive means 14.

The rail 11, generally coextensive with the length of the table top, is shown as supported above the latter by end posts or brackets 27 extending from the opposite ends of the table top. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rail mounts a lead screw 28 which, in this case, is the end element of the drive 14.

The prime mover 12 is shown as a reversing motor 29 mounted beneath the table top 25. In this case, the same is provided with a speed-reducing gear box.30 having an output shaft 31 that drives the sprocket pinion 32 of the drive means 14 through the clutch 15 when the latter is shifted by the lever 33. It will be understood that the slow speed of said sprocket pinion 32, through the chain 34 to a sprocket gear 35 on the end of the lead screw 28, is transmitted to said screw at the still lower speed of the gear 35.

As indicated in FIG. 7, the motor 29 is controlled by a reversing switch 36 which may be manually controlled or located to be operated by any portion of the traversing carriage and the parts mounted thereon when the ends traverse in either direction. Either as part of such a switch 36 or by a separate master switch in circuit therewith,

the terminal positions of the carriage may be retained until reverse movement is to be instituted.

The carriage 13 comprises a nut 37 engaged with said lead screw 28, whereby the carriage traverses in one longitudinal direction when the lead screw turns in one direction, and in the return longitudinal direction when the screw turns in a reverse direction, body 38, and a support roller 39 connected to said body and riding the rail 11. The means 20 is shown as an elongated and slotted lower 3 extension of the carriage body, said extension being parallel with the lead screw 28.

The components 17, 18 and 19 of the combined assembly 16 in this case are shown with the camera unit 17 in the middle, and the film-developing unit 18 and the picture-projecting unit 19 flanking the same at either side. This arrangement may be varied, with the camera and projecting units at opposite ends and the developing unit between them. Said units are preferably electrically operated by power means such as an electric motor 40 which, through suitable gears in a gear box 41, drives said units through a reversing switch 42.

As shown in FIG. 6, a number of idler spools or rollers 43 provided in the units of assembly 16 are arranged to guide a film strip 44 between driven spools or rollers 45 and 46, the former being driven by the motor 40 to take up the film strip 44 in the direction of the arrow 47, and the latter being driven by said motor to take up said film strip in the opposite direction according to the arrow 48.

When the film strip 44 is driven in one of said directions, depending on the setting of the reversing switches 36 and 42, the same is exposed through a lens 49 in the camera or photographing unit 17 which is opened for this purpose during traverse of the assembly 16 in one direction along the rail 11, the same closing or being closed at the end of said traverse. When the film strip 44 is driven in the opposite direction, with the reversing switches set accordingly, the same is exposed to a lens 50 in the picture-projection unit 19 during traverse of the assembly 16 in the opposite or return direction along the rail 11. At the beginning of said return traverse, the opening of lens 50 may be accompanied by closing of a switch 51 controlling a projection light 52 in the unit 19.

The lenses 49 and 50 and their optical systems are of the type that photograph and project images that are true to the dimensions of objects they represent, wherein such images are free of distortion, error or displacement due to parallax. Such lenses have been called fish eye lenses. In any case, the lenses 49 and 50 may be of the fish eye type or of any other known type, providing such distortion-free photography and projection are achieved.

The film-developing unit 18 may comprise any one of a variety of dry-developing devices through which the exposed film strip 44 is drawn toward the projection unit 19 after having been exposed through the lens 49.

The layout 22 comprises a variety of items, such as patterns of garment components 53. Such items require to be carefully and expertly arranged so that, when used as guides for cutting a lay 54 of several layers of cloth,

the most economical and time-conserving manner of preparing a lay results. While the lay 54 is shown on the table 10, the same may, as is usual, be placed on any cutting table. To carry out such a pattern-distributing operation for each lay of cloth 53 that is to be cut, as

is presently the practice, is the most costly way. The sheet 23 with the picture of the layout therein, when placed over a lay of cloth 54, as shown in FIG. 3, constitutes the most efiicient and accurate manner of providing a guiding means for the cutter. Prints of the original sheet 23 may be used for the same purpose in subsequent cutting operations.

According to the present invention, the method herein is carried out in the following manner:

(1) Components 53 are manually placed on the table top 25 in a desired arrangement and the room housing said table is darkened;

(2) The assembly 16 is loaded with a film strip 44 in any conventional manner and the cover 55 is replaced to enclose the units 17, 18 and 19;

(3) The motor 29 is started with the clutch 15 released and with the assembly 16 located, as in FIG. 1, at one end of the table, and the lay is illuminated;

(4) The clutch 15 is operated and the motor 40' is started to cause feed of the film strip 44 past the open Cir lens 49 and simultaneous traverse of the assembly 16 toward the opposite end of the table, the drive means 14 rotating the lead screw 28 to cause such traverse;

(5) As the exposed film strip leaves the camera 17, the same enters the developing unit 18 to be dry-developed and then directed to the projection unit 19 to be taken up by the spool the trailing end of said film strip remains wound on the spool 46 at the end of the mentioned traverse, the same being the position of the assembly 16, as in the full lines of FIG. 2;

(6) The lens 49 is closed, the motors 29 and 40 stopped, and the items 53 of the layout 22 are removed from the table and, with the room again darkened, the sensitized sheet 23 is placed upon the table top 25 to cover the area that was previously occupied by the items of the layout;

(7) The motor 29 is re-started in reverse and the clutch 15 operated to cause the assembly 16 to move back toward its initial position to bring the lens of the projection unit 19 to the position at which the camera lens 49 Was located when the traverse of the assembly 16 was stopped;

(8) Now the return traverse of the assembly 16 is be gun as the lens 50 is opened and the projection lamp is simultaneously lit, thereby causing the photographed image of the layout on the film strip 44 to be projected on said sheet 23 to produce a negative;

(9) After full return movement of the assembly 16 to the dot-dash line position of FIG. 1, the lens 50 of the projector will be at the position at which the lens 49 of the camera 17 started;

(10) The sheet is then developed after removal from the table and reprinted to produce as many positive prints therefrom as are desired for use in cutting operations; and

(11) Finally, the assembly is returned to its initial position shown by the full lines of FIG. 1 for subsequent traverse and production of a negative sheet showing another layout of items.

It will be understood that the photographic and filmor tape-developing processes may vary. For instance, the same may have basis on and conform to the instant video-tape replay technique that provides a film in a matter of a few seconds and which may be projected.

It will also be evident that the film or tape, after its projection as in points (8) and (9) above, may be conveniently stored for future use and/or reference.

While the foregoing illustrates and describes what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention with respect to both the method and apparatus, the same is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A photographing, developing and projecting method consisting in the steps of:

(a) photographing progressively from one end of the same to the opposite end and while the same is disposed on a fiat surface,

(b) developing the images exposed on said stri during said photographing step, and

(0) before projecting the images on the film strip upon a photosensitive sheet in reverse direction from the direction of the photographic step, shifting the start of photographing and projecting partly from each respective end of the layout to correct for parallax.

2. A photographing, developing and projecting method according to claim 1 including the step of moving the film strip in one direction during photographing and in the opposite direction during projecting.

3. Photographing, developing and projecting apparatus comprising:

(a) a flat support for a layout of components,

(b) a unitary assembly of a camera, a developer for developing film strip exposed by said camera, and a projector of the developed images of said strip,

(c) means to move said assembly from one end of the layout to the other to progressively photograph said layout, and

((1) means to return the assembly to its intial position while progressively projecting said images of the film strip in reverse order to the exposure of the camera, and

(e) means to adjust the assembly-removing means to effect shifting of the assembly at both ends of the traverse to correct for parallax between the camera and projector at both ends of the lay.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 including common drive means for the film strip of the camera and the developer, whereby the strip, while photographing successive portions of the layout, is developed simultaneously with exposure in the camera.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1940 Green et al. 355-27 7/1956 Tuttle et a1. 355-27X JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner R. A. WINTERCORN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

